


To The End of the Age

by JimmyPenguin421



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Ahsoka Tano Needs a Hug, Anakin Skywalker Needs a Hug, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Gen, Protective Anakin Skywalker
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-15
Updated: 2020-04-15
Packaged: 2021-03-01 16:55:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,566
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23670433
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JimmyPenguin421/pseuds/JimmyPenguin421
Summary: Two versions of Ahsoka's farewell. Can be read separately.
Relationships: Anakin Skywalker & Ahsoka Tano
Comments: 13
Kudos: 51





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own Star Wars: The Clone Wars.

"Ahsoka, I am so sorry. About everything."

Anakin's voice broke through Ahsoka's conflicted thoughts. She turned to him and gave a slight nod, almost smiling but not.

"You have our most humble apologies, Little 'Soka," Master Plo said, his normally confident voice filled with sadness and regret and shame. "The Council was wrong to accuse you."

"You have shown such great strength and resilience in your struggle to prove your innocence." Master Tiin.

"This is the true sign of a Jedi Knight." Master Mundi.

"This was actually your great trial. Now we see that. We understand that the Force works in mysterious ways, and because of this trial, you have become a greater Jedi than you would have otherwise." Master Windu.

Ahsoka crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes, raising her right eye marking. Was that supposed to be his attempt at an apology? Because it was kriffing _weak_.

All these Masters were trying to admit their mistake without actually doing so. None even had the guts to really apologize. If she still had a lightsaber, she would have been severely tempted to use it.

"Back into the Order, you may come," came Master Yoda's voice. He smiled up at her.

"They're asking you back, Ahsoka," Anakin said, stepping forward and reaching into a pocket. " _I'm_ asking you back." He held out her Padawan braid.

Ahsoka looked at the beads. Anakin moved his hand toward her, silently pleading for her to take them.

Ahsoka turned her eyes back up to Anakin. He smiled gently at her.

Hope was written on his face, as it had been on Ahsoka's when Anakin had accepted her all those years ago on Christophsis.

Ahsoka looked back down to the beads. Slowly, hesitantly, she lifted her left hand, reached for the beads.

How could she continue to live in an Order where nobody trusted her? Not even Master Kenobi or Master Plo—no, Master _Koon_ —had believed in her. And Ahsoka's supposed friend, Barriss, had been the one to start this whole mess.

As much as Ahsoka hated to think it, Barriss had had a point…

She hated to do this to Anakin.

She took hold of his palm with her right hand. Gently, she closed his mechanical fingers over the braid with her left.

Ahsoka looked up at Anakin, tears welling in her eyes. There was no going back now.

"I'm sorry, Master," she choked out. "But I'm not coming back." She turned her head away, unable to bring herself to look at Anakin's heartbroken face.

Staring at the floor, she left the Council chambers for the last time.

* * *

Ahsoka walked slowly out of the Temple. She didn't need the Force to know that Anakin was running after her.

"Ahsoka, wait!" he called.

She shook her head and closed her eyes, trying to keep tears from falling. This would only make it hurt more.

"Ahsoka, I need to talk to you!"

Ahsoka stopped just outside the exit and took a deep breath. Releasing it, she turned around.

Anakin caught up to her, bending over to catch his breath. "Why… are you doing this?" he panted.

"The Council didn't trust me, so how can I trust myself?" she said bitterly, crossing her arms over herself.

"What about me?" he asked, gesturing to himself. "I believed in you. I stood by you!"

"I know you believe in me, Anakin, and I'm grateful for that," she said, looking up at him. "But this isn't about you. I can't stay here any longer. Not now." She turned away from him, not wanting him to see the pain in her eyes.

"The Jedi Order is your life."

Her eyes widened the slightest bit. He was right. How would she survive in the real world? She had to worry about food, and water, and she had no lightsabers to aggressively negotiate with when things got rough. She was truly helpless.

"You can't just throw it away like this!" Anakin went on. "Ahsoka, you are making a mistake."

Ahsoka closed her eyes. No, she realized, this was no mistake. She would rather be alone than surrounded by those who didn't trust her.

But her only true friend was here, begging her to stay, hoping that they could eventually make things right.

_I would never let anyone hurt you, Ahsoka. Never._

If only that had been true…

Ahsoka knew that no matter the cost, Anakin would protect her.

But what could he do against a literal army of Jedi?

"Maybe," she conceded, facing him. "But I have to sort this out on my own. Without the Council…"

She had to turn away again. She couldn't bring herself to say it to his face.

"…and without you."

There was a painful silence.

Anakin had once pranked Ahsoka with the classic bucket of cold water over a doorway. When the bucket had dumped over her, her first impression had been _cold_. Her clothes, soaked through, stuck to her body and only made her feel colder. She had curled into a ball on the floor, hugging herself in an attempt to make the coldness go away.

That was how the Force felt right now. Cold and heavy with remorse, making Ahsoka long for hugs and blankets and warm drinks.

Anakin sighed. "I understand. More than you realize, I understand wanting to walk away from the Order."

Ahsoka knew he understood. But she also knew that, as he had said of her, the Jedi Order was his life. He couldn't just throw it away.

And Ahsoka understood that.

"I know," she said softly.

Turning all the way around, she ran forward and threw her arms around Anakin, finally letting her tears fall.

"I'll miss you _so much_ ," she managed to say between sobs.

Anakin didn't say anything. But he returned the hug, and although his grip was firm, Ahsoka could feel his body shaking. Of course, he didn't full-on _cry._ She doubted she would ever see him do that.

They stayed like that for a minute, holding each other as if for the last time.

Finally, Ahsoka pulled away. "Well… see you around, I guess?" she sniffled, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand.

Anakin nodded, his own eyes shining with tears. "Of course. And don't forget to visit."

She smiled. "Right. I know where Padmé lives."

Maybe it was just the sunset, but Anakin's face seemed to turn red.

Ahsoka allowed a single, small laugh to escape her lips. "May the Force be with you… Skyguy," she said.

"And with you, _Snips_ ," Anakin replied.

Ahsoka waved, turned, and made her way down the stairs, a contented smile on her face.

She was no Jedi. She had no military rank, no special privileges, no lightsabers.

But Jedi or not, she had friendship.

And nothing could ever take that away from her.


	2. I Can Only Imagine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What I (and probably a lot of others) wish had happened.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own Star Wars: The Clone Wars.

"Ahsoka," Anakin said quietly. "I am so sorry. About everything." If none of the Council would apologize, he would.

Ahsoka turned to him and gave a slight nod, almost smiling but not.

"You have our most humble apologies, Little 'Soka," Master Plo said, his normally confident voice filled with sadness and regret and shame. "The Council was wrong to accuse you."

"You have shown such great strength and resilience in your struggle to prove your innocence." Master Tiin said, actually sounding somewhat sincere.

"This is the true sign of a Jedi Knight." said Master Mundi.

 _Yes!_ Anakin thought. _She's going to come back, and we can spar and prank each other and eat lots of bacon for breakfast and—_

And then Windu had to go and open his mouth.

"This was actually your great trial. Now we see that. We understand that the Force works in mysterious ways, and because of this trial, you have become a greater Jedi than you would have otherwise."

Anakin had to use all his thirteen years of Jedi training to keep from rolling his eyes and facepalming. He saw Ahsoka cross her arms and narrow her eyes. Understandable. Was that what Master Windu considered an apology?

"Back into the Order, you may come," came Master Yoda's voice. He smiled up at Ahsoka.

"They're asking you back, Ahsoka," Anakin said, stepping forward and reaching into a pocket. " _I'm_ asking you back." He held out her Padawan braid.

Ahsoka looked at the beads. Anakin moved his hand toward her, silently pleading for her to take them. He gave her a hopeful smile.

Ahsoka looked back down to the beads. Slowly, hesitantly, she lifted her left hand, reached for the beads.

And then she took hold of his palm with her right hand. Gently, she closed his mechanical fingers over the braid with her left.

Ahsoka looked up at Anakin, tears welling in her eyes.

"I'm sorry, Master," she choked out. "But I'm not coming back." She turned her head away.

Anakin's mouth dropped and he stared at Ahsoka in shock as she left the Council chambers.

Unconsciously, his fist tightened around Ahsoka's beads. He shook his head, his mouth pulling into an angry frown. _I've had it with this nerf-kriffing Council in this nerf-kriffing Order_ , he thought.

"HA! Gotcha!" Ahsoka screamed, whirling around.

Anakin's mouth dropped again. He dropped Ahsoka's braid on the floor as she tackled him in a hug that nearly knocked him into Obi-Wan.

"You had me worried there, Snips," Anakin whispered into her montral.

She just laughed and held him tighter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feedback is always welcome! I hope you enjoyed the story!

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed it (or at least felt some emotions XD)! Feedback is always welcome!


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